


Here In My Arms

by LokiNeedsHugs1031



Series: Stucky Ficlets [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: All love no hurt, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bisexual Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Has Issues, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Bucky Barnes's Metal Arm, Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers Feels, Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: The Winter Soldier Compliant, Couch Cuddles, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Boyfriends, Domestic Fluff, Ella Fitzgerald inspired, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fuck Infinity Wars seriously, Hurt Bucky Barnes, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, M/M, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Past Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Steve Rogers, Romantic Fluff, Sleepy Bucky, Sleepy Cuddles, Steve Feels, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, snugglefic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 06:00:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17482493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LokiNeedsHugs1031/pseuds/LokiNeedsHugs1031
Summary: Steve comes home from a long mission and still recovering Bucky needs some couch cuddles <3





	Here In My Arms

**Author's Note:**

> These random things just pop in my head. Especially given the new trailers coming out that just seem to keep hurting us and causing trauma lol As if Infinity Wars weren't enough! So I saw this cute little comic with Bucky stumbling in all sleepy and wanting affection plus listening to Ella Fitzgerald. So thusly, this fic was born. All fluff and no hurt! Enjoy!

            Steve huffed in exhaustion as he set his gear next to the door of their New York apartment. The apartment was quiet besides the soft glow of the kitchen stove light to guide his way into their home. He knew Bucky was already asleep, they’d spoken earlier on the phone and Steve had begged Bucky not to wait up given that it would probably be near three o’clock in the morning when he’d get back.

            He had promised Bucky he would be home within a week’s time, but unfortunately that was never a promise well kept given his line of work. It was the longest he’d been away from home, been away from Bucky since his brainwashing had been obliterated from his troubled mind.

            To say he had been fragile those first few weeks had been an understatement, the nightmares kept them both up sometimes more than two days at a time until Bucky succumbed to exhaustion. Steve’s missions started out slow after Bucky’s return, two days at a time, then three, and he hadn’t allowed them to be longer than that. This one, however, was out of his control and he felt sick about it, no matter how many times Bucky said he was fine on his own.

            He balanced the shield against the wall making sure to stay quiet, hopefully Bucky was sleeping soundly. If he had a nightmare Steve knew Bucky would have called, even while he endured the eight-hour flight home.

            His first destination was definitely the shower, he hated the stench of gun powder, thankfully just that and not blood. He’d dealt with bots not humans, again, lack of blood was a good thing because Bucky seemed to always know, no matter how much soap he used.

            All he could think of was how to get home to his best guy, sometimes he even thought about hanging it all up so he and Bucky could settle down somewhere quiet. Oh, someday they would.

            He removed his boots before he pushed the bedroom door open, taking note of the small glowing nightlight glowing from it’s place cattycorner to the bed. It shed a lovely golden glow over Bucky’s face, which was lax with sleep, his arms were tucked under the pillow as soft breaths pushed out from his parted lips. Steve tried to take a kind of mental snap shot of these moments given that they were sometimes a rarity in this recovery time.

            He was quiet as humanly possible as he crossed the room to the shower, closing the door behind him. He took his time scrubbing away the filth of the battle field, letting the hot water slough away both sweat and the fight in general, letting it soak the strained muscles of his back and shoulders. Super serum or not he still got achy after any particularly strenuous fight. He’d deliberately brought his duffle bag in with him to dig out clean clothes instead of opening dresser drawers to find a t-shirt and sweats.

            Steve would have gladly bent at the waist and dropped a kiss to Bucky’s unwrinkled brow but he knew better, there was always a risk of waking him, or worse scaring him. So he only pulled the blanket up a little higher around Bucky’s shoulders and exited the room. He was still far too amped up, even after such a long flight. He dug around in the hallway closet and found a couple big fluffy blankets used for late nights when one of them couldn’t sleep or movie nights where Bucky made it a point to cocoon them both together to ‘save on electricity’. An old argument from when they were younger, and the heat gave out in their crappy Brooklyn apartment. Crappy or not those were some of his favorite nights, wrapped up in Bucky’s strong embrace, no matter what was happening outside their little world, he felt safe in Bucky’s arms.

            He stretched out onto the long navy-blue couch, flipping through the channels until he settled on something that looked somewhat familiar. Tony had made it a point to flag channels for both Bucky and Steve that were ‘old people’ channels. It was about 30 years’ worth of movies they had either seen or needed to watch. The Turner Classics channel had quickly become their favorite. Especially because said channel played the best stuff late at night when they were both up feigning sleep.

            _Top Hat_ with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers was playing now, he’d only missed the first fifteen minutes at least. He kept the volume low and only turned one of the lamps in the modest living room. He wished he could turn his mind off and just sleep, he wanted to slide in beside Bucky, hold him close and fall asleep. But as always, his mind was racing and he knew that would have him tossing and turning and possibly wake up his slumbering boyfriend.

            Nearly an hour passed, his eyes began to slightly droop and that’s when he heard the movement. He leaned his head backwards against the couch and there was Bucky shuffling out of the bedroom. His hair was a mess, most of it loose and falling out of the hair tie, the dark tendrils framing his face. He had the extra blanket that had been draped over the foot of the bed wrapped around his shoulders.

            “Hey sweetheart,” Steve cooed softly, “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

            Silently he shook his head, making even more a mess of his hair, his eyes were still half closed and he sniffled just as silently. Bad dream, Steve figured, but obviously not bad enough to erupt into the form of a panic attack, but bad enough to halt any more sleep.

            “Buck, honey, you okay?” Steve tried again, reaching an arm out and gesturing him to move closer.

            He made another near nonexistent sniffle, then without speaking, lean over the back of the couch. His hair was still hiding the majority of his face which only made Steve frown, he wasn’t stupid, this was about as subtle as Bucky was about asking for help. But only when it came to Steve. “Bucky?”

            “I’m okay,” he finally spoke, his voice thick and croaky with sleep, “J-Just wanted to see you. You shoulda woken me up Stevie, you’ve been gone a long time. You said you’d wake me up.”

            Steve carefully brushed the still shower damp strands of hair away from his face, something he’d obviously done before he went to bed, “You were sleepin’ pretty good, didn’t wanna wake you if I didn’t have to. I would’ve come to bed in a little bit just didn’t wanna scare you.”

            “Sleep better when you’re next to me, punk,” Bucky made a poor semblance of a growl, shimmying forward over the back of the couch, forgoing actually rounding the arm, and slumped into Steve’s side before settling his head against Steve’s thigh. From there, very much like a cat, he nuzzled with his nose before huffing again and going completely limp with relief.

            “Why don’t we go back to the bed then, huh?” Steve smiled, tucking his hair behind one ear to make it easier to read his expression.

            “Nah,” he feebly argued, “S’good out here. I-I just really need…” he cleared his throat, his speech stalling.

            Once more Steve found himself frowning, gliding his fingers down the metallic surface of Bucky’s left arm. Like any other time it elicited shivers but Steve never shied away from touching his metal appendage, always attempting through touch to ensure that this was as a part of Bucky then any other part. When Bucky stayed quiet a few seconds longer Steve knew his cue, “You just need this?” he rested a palm flat along his torso pulling Bucky marginally closer, “And this.” he bent forward and pressed lips to Bucky’s tepid brow.

            Bucky nodded, eyes closing in comfort, “And hair petting…”

            That made Steve chuckle gently, “Well of course hair petting. I ain’t stupid.” he scribbled his fingertips through Bucky’s dark mess of hair, every second pass adding a little bit of his nails and that earned him a low, happy groan. Bucky wrapped his arm firmly around Steve’s waist and squeezed.

            “Thanks, Babydoll,” he slurred, “So glad you’re home.”

            “Me too honey. You swear you didn’t have to hard a time?” Steve asked, still keeping his tone quiet.

            “Good as I could manage to be honest, ten days is a long time…too long…” Bucky answered, “S’not talk about you being gone, you’re home, all that matters.”

            Steve had to agree, he was tired now, Bucky acted like a balm and now he was sure he would sleep. Bed or not. “If you’re insisting on the couch then let’s get comfortable.” he pulled Bucky up against his chest as he shimmied onto his back. Bucky went willingly and completely compliant, something Steve cherished because it screamed trust and nothing else, “You need another blanket?”

            “You kiddin?” Bucky huffed again, “You’re like a goddamn furnace, Stevie.”

            “Well when you put it so sweetly, Buck,” Steve grinned, still situating the blanket around them both.

            Bucky reached upwards, grabbing Steve’s hand and landing it back into his hair, “Didn’t say you could stop, s’your fault for being gone s’long.”

            “Helluva punishment sweetheart,” Steve rolled his eyes, resuming his playing of Bucky’s silky strands, “Close your eyes. I’ll keep it up until you fall asleep.”

            “Kay,” he slurred, sleep obviously taking hold again and snuggling in closer, “You watchin’ this corny movie again? Third time…”

            Steve had almost forgotten about the Fred Astaire film, “Hell yeah I’m watching it again. I like corny, pretty sure it’s all you and I should have in life from now on.”

            “Oh yeah?” he sighed, the palm of his metal hand resting against Steve’s stomach, another gesture that kept him anchored.

            “Yeah,” Steve continued, “Cornier the better, makes me wanna get one of those doll type houses, white picket fence, dog, cat, whatever and just live out our lives being boring.”

            “You gonna be the house wife or is it gonna be me, cause I can’t cook for shit,” Bucky chuckled, his voice losing strength the more time passed.

            Steve shook his head, “I’d do the cookin’, already do. Just sayin’ wouldn’t mind settling down somewhere quiet…safe.”

            “Sure babydoll, wouldn’t mind that at all,” Bucky turned his cheek, just briefly enough to make eye contact, “Hey,” he began, “Whenever you want all that I’m on board, but for now, you can’t and that’s okay.”

            Steve sighed and opened his mouth to argue but Bucky silenced him with a firm kiss, securing it in place as he cupped the curve of his jaw, the chill of the metal only brief as it absorbed the warmth of Steve’s cheek. Steve laid speechless, mouth expertly kissed pink he was sure when he finally opened his eyes and Bucky was smiling smugly.

            Bucky kissed him once more before running his thumb over Steve’s bottom lip, “Hair petting…not outta the woods yet, punk.” he plunked his head back down on Steve’s chest with emphasis.

            Steve let his head fall back against the softness of the couch and continue to play with Bucky’s hair as promised, “Well you better get back to sleep then.”

            Bucky tightened his arms around Steve if only for a moment, “Sure Cap.”

            Steve gave the strands in his fingers a gentle tug and Bucky laughed. “See ya in the morning sweetheart.”

            “Sure thing baby doll,” Bucky muttered pressing a kiss to his chest and soon enough the room was filled with his barely there snores and the room was aglow with the television. From there it took very little time for Steve to fall asleep, his best guy sleeping peacefully wrapped up safely in his arms.

                       

           

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave this lonely writer some love, pretty please?


End file.
